Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the TRIPP transport and infrastructure project serves the interests of both Yerevan and Tehran. He made these remarks in response to comments by Iran's Ambassador to Armenia, Khalil Shirgholami, who had previously expressed concern about a potential US presence near the Iranian border during the project's implementation.
According to Pashinyan, launching TRIPP will establish a railway link between the Persian Gulf and the Black Sea, thereby expanding trade and economic opportunities for both nations.
"With the implementation of the TRIPP project, we will open a railway connection from the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea, significantly expanding the scope for trade and economic relations between Armenia and Iran. The trade and economic opportunities for the Islamic Republic of Iran will also expand significantly. The implementation of the TRIPP project is directly in Iran's interests as well," the Prime Minister said.
He emphasized that Armenian authorities are ready to discuss the project with the Iranian side. "We are transparent and prepared to answer any question. We need to clearly define the specific nature of the concerns. We are confident that all apprehensions will be dispelled," Pashinyan noted.
He stated that Armenia intends to continue working on the project alongside Iran, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, the European Union, Central Asian nations, and China. "This is a global project, and we want to begin its implementation as soon as possible. I hope that initial work on the ground will start as early as this autumn," he added.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Armenia reported that representatives from the American engineering and consulting firm AECOM visited the country last week. Together with their Armenian partners, they inspected the site for the TRIPP project, which entails the construction of railway and other infrastructure. The diplomatic mission stated that the project is expected to foster economic growth, transport connectivity, and regional integration.
Earlier, Iran’s Ambassador to Armenia, Khalil Shirgholami, stated that Tehran’s concern regarding a potential United States presence near the Iranian border is "entirely logical" and warrants clear explanations. He noted that Yerevan had assured the Iranian side that the implementation of TRIPP would pose no threat to Iran, though the management of potential risks should remain part of the Armenian-Iranian dialogue.
